Rublev beats Matteo Arnaldi 6-4, 6-2 after rain delay to reach Toronto final

Rublev, the 26-year-old Russian with victories this year in Madrid and Hong Kong, will face Alexei Popyrin of Australia in the final. Popyrin beat American Sebastian Korda 7-6 (0), 6-3.

Andrey Rublev serves the ball. | Photo Credit: Reuters

Fifth-seeded Andrey Rublev beat Matteo Arnaldi 6-4, 6-2 on Sunday in the Toronto semifinals after waiting out a rain delay early in the second set.

Rublev, the 26-year-old Russian with victories this year in Madrid and Hong Kong, will face Alexei Popyrin of Australia in the final. Popyrin beat American Sebastian Korda 7-6 (0), 6-3.

“The wait has been worth it.” Rublev said about the delay of 1 hour, 40 minutes at 1-1 in the second set. “I’m happy to be in my first Canadian final. I just want to recover, rest well and be ready for tomorrow.”

On Saturday, he beat top-seeded Jannik Sinner.

Arnaldi, from Italy, reached his first Masters 1000-level semifinal.

Earlier Sunday in the quarterfinals, Popyrin topped fourth-seeded Hubert Hurkacz 3-6, 7-6 (5), 7-5, and Korda — the winner last week in Washington — beat second-seeded Alexander Zverev 7-6 (5), 1-6, 6-4.

Rain washed out play Thursday night and all of Friday as remnants of Tropical Storm Debby rolled through, putting the event behind schedule.